On a mission to build the Kingdom

If you’ve ever stopped to ponder Legatus’ mission statement, you’ll likely agree that it’s pure genius. In other words … divinely inspired. Members are committed to “study, live and spread the Catholic faith in [their] business, professional and personal lives.” It perfectly sums up what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. And it’s not for wimps.

Patrick Novecosky

Legatus is the Latin word for “ambassador.” Taken from 2 Cor 5:20 where St. Paul writes “we are ambassadors for Christ,” the name was suggested by the recently deceased Fr. Michael Scanlan, TOR, former president of Franciscan University of Steubenville. As a side note, the story of how he came up with the name — and many others — are recounted in the newly published Legatus@30 book, which members will receive within the next few weeks.

If we are ambassadors for Christ in the marketplace, we must learn what He taught. ŽThat means knowing well what the Church He founded teaches. We need to absorb the faith and make it part of our daily lives, and there’s no better tool for that than the Catechism of the Catholic Church. But we must go further.

Read the Bible, listen to Catholic radio and talks, go to retreats and Catholic conferences, and pray. Above all, pray. We can have all the knowledge, be able to quote the Bible and Catechism chapter and verse, but if we don’t know Him, we’re doomed. After all, our faith is not about a book. It’s about a person. A divine person. Jesus Christ.

Father Scanlan often said that if you’re a new Christian, you should spend 30 minutes a day in prayer. If you’re a seasoned Christian, one hour. If you’re in ministry, two hours. And if you’re a priest, three or four hours a day. If you can’t do that, he said, you’re too busy. Tough words from a likely future saint. But tough words can make saints.

With a new President in the White House who is unafraid to talk about prayer, and a Congress already passing legislation to protect the unborn, we may start to get complacent about the direction our country is going. We can’t afford complacency. We must be all about sainthood right now, and it starts when we hit the floor and surrender each day to the Lord of Lords!

PATRICK NOVECOSKY is Legatus magazine’s editor-in-chief.